Please note: If you have a promotional code you'll be prompted to enter it prior to confirming your order.

Customer Sign In

Returning Customer

If you have an account, please sign in.

New Customers

If you subscribe to any of our print newsletters and have never activated your online account, please activate your account below for online access. By activating your account, you will create a login and password. You only need to activate your account once.

In Case You Missed It:

Melanoma — early detection and treatment are critical

Although it accounts for less than 5% of all skin cancer cases, melanoma is responsible for the vast majority of skin cancer deaths. This form of cancer starts in the melanocytes, cells deep in the epidermis, or in moles on the surface of the skin that produce pigment.

Early detection and treatment are critical to prevent this cancer from spreading throughout the body.

Melanoma has several distinguishing characteristics that experts call the ABCDEs. A mole or growth is considered suspicious if

it is Asymmetrical, meaning that each half of the growth looks different from the other;

its orders are irregular, ragged, or blurry;

its Color is unusual;

its Diameter exceeds 6 millimeters, about that of a pencil eraser;

it has Evolved, enlarged, or changed in any way.

If you have a mole (or moles) with any of these characteristics, see your doctor for a thorough skin exam.

Rates of melanoma have been rising for at least three decades. Your risk of developing melanoma is higher if you have

red or blond hair

green or blue eyes

fair skin

a history of being in the sun a lot, especially as a child

a mother, father, sister, or brother with melanoma.

Features of freckles or moles that raise your risk of melanoma include

a new mole appearing after age 30

a new mole at any age if it is in an area rarely exposed to the sun

a change in an existing mole

one or more atypical moles—moles that look like a fried egg, or moles that are darker than others, or have an irregular border or shape

having 20 or more moles, each larger than 2 millimeters across

having five or more moles, each larger than 5 millimeters across (about the width of a pencil eraser)

freckles caused by being in the sun.

For more on melanoma and important information on keeping your skin healthy, buy Skin Care and Repair, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

Related Articles

Daily Health Tip

Follow a heart-healthy diet

Eating to protect your heart also helps protect you from diabetes and many cancers. Basic elements of a healthy diet include lots of plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains; modest servings of lean protein, like fish and poultry; relatively little red meat; and the use of unsaturated fats like olive oil.